It was an act of faith, good will and patience on Maestro Giulini’s part to enter a scene where a suitable place to perform orchestral compositions still didn’t exist, where, if he wanted to pursue his interest in, for example, Verdi on more than a one-time basis, an organization that would assist him conduct operas didn’t exist, and where, if he wanted to help nurture budding young talent, a place to educate students (at least across the street) didn’t exist too. (The air also was smoggier 36 years ago!)

This was the very first piece CMG rehearsed with the LA Phil as its music director. This clip shows one of the very first rehearsals. Unfortunately, it does not show how he described to the orchestra his interpretation of the opening of the Ninth. His explanation of it was imaginative, vivid and inspiring.

Of course i do – though not verbatim, but in essence. The gist of it was this: the opening is like creation of the world: tremolo in the strings is darkness of space, and upbeat accents are flickers of light in distant galaxies; gradually that light is increasing and eventually conquering the darkness; finally life is created when the main theme appears at the end of that big initial crescendo. The rest of the opening movement is the development of different aspects of that life.